


Almost Spring

by TheonlyDan



Category: The Ice Storm (1997)
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/F, Slight fluff, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-26
Updated: 2019-07-26
Packaged: 2020-07-20 05:08:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,242
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19986622
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheonlyDan/pseuds/TheonlyDan
Summary: Janey dealing with the aftermath of her son's death.





	Almost Spring

**Author's Note:**

> This is a work of fanfic using the characters in Ang Lee's The Ice Storm; I do not own the characters in the movie.

Even after the ice storm, she was still the town’s slut.

Janey didn’t change much even after her son died; she knew she would have to accept the truth sooner or later like she always did, with an icy exterior and a heart too numb to feel.

“Are you ok?”

She had bailed out in the middle of the ceremony. Those who didn't know her might think she was too sad to face her son in the cold casket.

But she just really needed a smoke.

Janey turned around and verified who was talking to her. Elena stood there, beside a tree, looking at her with an expression Janey was in no mood reading. The situation was rather comical since they barely spoke after Elena and Ben made a fool of themselves in the key party.

“I’m fine.”

Which they knew it was a distinctive lie. The tension got the best of them as Elena gave up. She walked closer— _please stop don’t get any closer_ —and tentatively, too timidly, put a hand on Janey’s shoulder. Her first reaction was to shake it off and ask her _what do you want my son’s already dead are you satisfied_ —

But Elena surprised her with something unfathomable in her eyes, unwavering, stoic.

“Come on inside. It’s freezing out here.”

And then she walked away. Janey stared at her silhouette until she disappeared behind the pillar of the church. She was right, the air was too cold that she could still feel the warmth on her shoulder.

Janey put off her smoke and went back. She even shed a tear or two when his husband gave his speech.

They both decided the whole thing, the ceremony the burial and all that, should be done as quick as possible. Her husband was busy wallowing in guilt and regrets as he sank deeper into the embrace of vodka, while Janey took care of the everyday chores. Not that it had changed much anyway.

“Mom, can I borrow the lighter?”

Her son visited her at one A.M in her bedroom. Judging by his nervousness and flushed cheeks, he must have had been standing outside her room for a long time, the cogs in his head turning to find an excuse for comfort.

Janey had trouble sleeping and Ambien didn’t work. She sighed and beckoned Sandy forward, telling him to hop in like the night before.

“I know you don’t want to blow things up lately.”

“I’m sorry.”

His voice sounded so young and innocent. Janey enveloped him into her arms. She felt safer.

“Shhh…sleep, honey. It's all right.”

“I wish Mickey is here.”

"…Me too."

The little boy snuggled closer as Janey berated herself for not being capable enough; she needed to say something to soothe her kid, who recently lost his big brother for christ sake.

They drifted off to sleep as Janey vaguely remembered she and Sandy cried in silent together in the cold dark, and the tears felt warm on her face for a moment.

She saw the blonde woman rang the bell once, twice and then stopped. Janey took another drag of her smoke and watched Elena on the second floor; she was starting to pace up and down on her porch. Janey was more intrigued rather than annoyed—what could the woman possibly want? Why was she here? To offer some bullshit condolences?

Janey put off the cigarette and went downstairs, opening the door for her neighbor.

“May I come in?”

Janey studied her face. She was just another beautiful woman with too much burden; there was nothing too special about her except for her wordlessness and delicate emotions. The former was a trait that was good in an early adulterous relationship, the later counted as a downside for men if they wanted to have an affair with lonesome, unsatisfied housewives.

Well, there went the similarities: they were both lonesome, unsatisfied, pathetic, suffocating housewives.

“Come in.”

Janey poured her a generous amount of whiskey. Then she poured herself a glass, too.

“I think we’d both agree that it’s too cold for some extra ice.”

“Yeah, it’s a good idea.”

Something about Elena was off; she echoed almost too quickly and finished the drink in gulps. She glanced around the shadowy living room and cast her gaze downward as if she was making up her mind for something.

“Why are you here?”

“When did it start?”

Janey could hardly suppress her disappointment. She didn’t want to talk about it.

“About a month before the party.”

She shouldn’t have brought that up because Elena’s face darkened with things that Janey was familiar with. Interesting.

So she must have had slept with one of them, too. Was it her husband?

“Was he good?”

Janey took another sip and relished in the pleasant burn down her throat. She stared at the blonde in front of her, who was puzzled and angry.

“Was he good?”

This time Elena was almost shouting. Janey moved her lips, trying to say something. But she laughed uncontrollably when she actually thought about the question. The unfamiliarity of her laughter quieted herself down.

The blonde was practically seething on her couch. Janey stared back with nonchalance unapologetically, which only infuriated her even more.

“Show me where you did it.”

Janey stiffened. She finished her drink in a swig and studied Elena’s face carefully to see if she meant it. The blonde took over her glass and smashed it on the floor; the silent house echoed with the noise, finally alive. Elena jerked and was about to do something to her but Janey had recovered from the shock. She grabbed her wrists and pinned her surprisingly light body down on the couch. Janey hoped the fear and anger weren’t the only things she saw in Elena’s eyes.

“I will. Please, calm down.”

Janey didn’t put distance between them; their short whiskey breathes mingled together. She elicited a curt nod from the blonde and slowly loosen her grip. The brief moment of closeness was not that awkward; it was warm, hot, _charged_.

“This is it?”

“Yes.”

They went into the guestroom as Elena took in everything carefully, discreetly. She couldn’t possibly know that Janey had replaced the original bed with another one expansive and comfortable which she purchased whimsically.

Elena started to walk about, slightly shaken. Janey sat on the bed and watched her closely with amusement she knew she shouldn't have. Elena was preoccupied at first, but after she noticed the expression of Janey’s face, her own flushed with rage.

“You thought this is funny?”

She came towards Janey and slapped her. It was more powerful than expected; Janey covered her face for a moment and then stared back, unafraid and challenging.

“How dare you? How dare you ruin our family?”

Elena had gone rogue; she grabbed her neck and pushed Janey down forcibly, pinning her. The situation was familiar, Janey mused absently, not the one with Ben, but the reversed one in her own living room.

She caught her hand as she was about to slap her again and managed to flip them both. They were in a peculiar position as they lay askew on the bed; Janey pressed her body on the smaller one as she restrained her hands above her head. Elena struggled fruitlessly and stopped dead as she saw the humorless smile blossoming on Janey’s face.

“I can show you more.”

Then she crashed their lips together; the blonde shrieked, abhorred. She struggled again harder this time. The room was getting warmer and warmer.

“What are you doing you crazy bitch?”

She asked breathlessly as Janey chuckled and cooed.

“I thought you want to learn all of it. How I fucked your husband right here, on this bed, with his dick rubbing against my wet, swollen cunt.”

Elena was visibly appalled. But she had stopped moving. Janey experimentally loosened her right hand.

“Was it good? Yes, some of them were. When he used to do this…”

Janey exposed Elena’s neck with her right hand roughly and she gasped, half surprised, half aroused. Janey licked from the top to the opening of her blouse and then took an aggressive bite on her prominent collarbone. Elena hissed, but she didn’t tell her to stop. Janey took it as a positive sign.

“Then I would tell him to save the foreplay…” Janey went gentler and caressed Elena’s perky breast; the linen rubbed against her nipple as she let out a shaky breath. Janey was starting to enjoy all of the little noises she made. “…And he would kiss me again…”She didn’t kiss Elena; Janey just hovered above and stared right into her pupil-dilated eyes as her nimble fingers worked the button and slipper on her jean.

Elena stopped her.

She pulled Janey down for a ferocious kiss; they knocked their teeth and it was a slippery kiss without finesse.

Janey got distracted as Elena sat up abruptly and she lost her balance. Elena didn’t really care if she almost fell off the bed as she grabbed her, maneuvering a bit and the next thing Janey knew, she was lying face up, parallel to the wall, with her skirt all bunched up around her waist. Elena’s eyes were predatory and angry as she shoved her hand into Janey’s panties.

She moaned and arched her body for more contact. Janey didn't know she was this aroused as well. Elena was disheveled as she slid two fingers in the slick heat, satisfied with Janey bucking her hips for more intrusion. She added another finger and stretched; Janey’s face contorted with delicious pain and cried, but no voice came out.

This was definitely not the time for Elena to remember how to do it; she just knew that Janey wanted _more_.

She plunged, twisted and curled her fingers, watching every emotion that fleeted across Janey’s face. The brunette was exquisitely beautiful like this, losing control, writhing and mewling with a blush on her high cheekbones.

She maintained the rhythm for a while then she found the sweet spot that Elena didn’t know she was looking for. Janey’s body jerk involuntarily when she brushed against it and she pushed forward again. Janey bucked her hips and met the delicious intrusion as Elena sped up. The sounds of wet invasion reverberated scandalously in the room as Janey fucked herself on Elena's fingers.

“Fuck...don’t stop…”

And then Janey jerked and screamed, walls contracting around Elena’s fingers.

She could hear her own heartbeat as she pulled her fingers out of Janey. Janey just lay there, boneless and flushed, skirt bunched up, hair tousled and thighs wet with arousal.

Elena was lost again. She fixed her pants ironically like an irresponsible guy after his affair.

And there it was; this was also an inexcusable, sexual, vengeful affair.

She left hurriedly, shaken, and Janey didn’t stop her.

***

“You know, I understand you. But I still can’t forgive you.”

“How sweet.”

They were smoking in Janey’s guestroom after their usual activities in the afternoon. Somehow, listening to Elena was much better than listening to the ramblings of her husband.

Janey turned around and faced Elena; they were still naked under the sheets; the room was temperate. She took a drag of her smoke.

“You know I’m technically not having an affair, right?”

“I know. You went through the shit-storm. Congratulations.”

Janey heard it from some nosy gossip woman and she had no interest to remember who it was. She traced her fingertips along Elena’s hollow cheek. She’d lost weight after the presumably tiresome divorce.

“This…we have lasted longer than I’ve expected.”

Her words were too gentle. Janey exhaled slowly and took another drag of her cigarette. Three months went by, and they were still seeing each other; once a week at first, then two times a week, and now it was—

Occasional shopping, strolling, dinner that went almost like a date. But they were both in deep denial.

“What has kept you together?”

Janey had seen it coming. Her first instinct was to tell Elena to put her clothes on and get out, but she clenched her jaws and felt ridiculous for being dramatic on her invisible husband.

“There was no reason to change.”

Elena closed her eyes, seemingly losing all the strength; Janey almost felt bad for being honest, but she knew Elena would understand.

“Hey.”

She opened her eyes and Janey placed a kiss on the corner of Elena’s mouth. She failed to not make a deal of this; Janey was not the touchy-feely type, nor was she the kind to get attached.

Elena understood; they stared at each other for a beat or two and Elena sat up and to get dressed. Janey grabbed the sheet to her neck, clinging onto the remnant of the warmth.

“I need to pick something up, and I also need…”

She trailed off as she focused on finishing the last button of the blouse. Janey waited.

“Anyway I’m going to the city tomorrow, if you want to--”

“Sure. When?”

Elena stared at her for a minute and something broken in her eyes came together again, her expression softening.

“I’ll pick you up.”

Janey put off the smoke and didn’t spare a glance towards Elena when she left; so did Elena without noticing the tall, willowy figure standing next to the window, staring at her car as she drove away, a half-smoked cigarette in her long, white fingers.

Spring was here.

**Author's Note:**

> This thing came to me after I finished the movie at two a.m. And I was starting to doubt myself since no one had come up with this pairing.  
> By all means, Sigourney had played Janey so well in this movie--the aloofness and detachment were just perfect; she had brilliantly portrayed Janey as a very juicy character.  
> Hope you like this and thanks for reading!


End file.
